Lincoln County Commission Chairman Terry Thompson was adamant Tuesday the Coast Guard Air Station helicopter operations slated to be moved to North Bend are not going to leave Newport.
Thompson emerged from a joint meeting with Newport City and Port officials and said:
(Thompson) "We're going to keep pushing. They're going to take that helicopter out of our hands over our cold dead bodies. It isn’t going to happen."
Hundreds gathered Monday night in Newport to hear Coast Guard Rear Admiral R.T. Gromlich say the decision to close the Newport Air Station at the end of November was made at the highest level of government. The Newport Coast Guard Station protects visitors from across the State, Thompson says:
(Thompson) "We just had a rescue up here at Fogarty Creek of six people who were not from this area."
The County Commission chairman concedes the Coast Guard may make what he insists will be a temporary move.
(Thompson) "We're going to try to get this state involved in making sure we keep these services."
The Coast Guard says it will maintain a presence in Newport to respond to emergencies after helicopter operations are moved.
